# Lagavulin Distillers Editions Now Available in the US!



## adsantos13 (Oct 10, 2006)

Good news for Lagavulin lovers! The Lagavulin Distillers Edition, once only available in Europe and European Duty Free, is now available in the US. The MSRP is $99. 

I tasted a bit of the Lagavulin Distillers Edition a couple years ago and remember it being very, very nice. It is finished in a Pedro Jimenez Oloroso Sherry cask. 

I picked up my bottle the other day but need to finish off a couple other open bottles before cracking this one. I will put up a review when I do (its been too long since I've had my one taste to really say much other than I remember liking it alot).

PS- In addition to the Lagavulin Dist. Ed., Diageo has also released made available the Oban Distillers Edition, as well as a limited edition Lagavulin 21 :dr!!! At $299 though, the 21 ain't cheap. However, it has been getting FANTASTIC reviews. It sold out pretty much everywhere in NY as soon as it came out and is already back ordered. Would love to grab a bottle if its still around in a couple months...


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## olnumber7 (Apr 19, 2004)

I run a wine/whisky shop in DC. I have the lagavulin dist at a less expensive price than the one you list and am expecting the Lagavulin 21 as well as the new Banff and Port Ellen in sometime in the next week or so. Please PM me or emial me if you're interested.


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## billybarue (Mar 20, 2006)

I've had a few bottles of whiskey and brandy that were aged in the bottle (just never got to them) for 10+ years. They all seemed to benefit from the aging quiet well(just like vino). Since the Lagavulin 16 can be found for far less, can you recreate the 21 year old by simply bottle aging it for another 5 years? 

BillyBarue


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## SUOrangeGuy (Feb 22, 2006)

Scotch doesn't age in the bottle it ages in the barrel. 16yo Scotch was in the barrel for 16yrs. 21yo Scotch was in the barrel for 21yrs.


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## billybarue (Mar 20, 2006)

SUOrangeGuy said:


> Scotch doesn't age in the bottle it ages in the barrel. 16yo Scotch was in the barrel for 16yrs. 21yo Scotch was in the barrel for 21yrs.


So all aging stops when it is bottled??? You are saying there is no mellowing or flavor development with aging in the bottle??

I realize the the age on the bottle is indicative of time in the barrell. Just seems to me from the "long-aged" bottles I have uncovered there sure was a difference from the newer booze. Obviously aging is intended to occur in the barrell, but I think there is some aging benefit in the bottle.

$60/16 year old versus $300/21 year old makes me think it might be worth throwing a few 16 year old bottles in the wine cellar and see what comes out in 10 to 15 years.

BillyBarue


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## SUOrangeGuy (Feb 22, 2006)

According to a wine, beer, and spirits class I took in college Scotches do not mature in the bottle only in the cask. I was told the increase in value of old bottles has more to do with rarity than changes in the booze. Its supposed to be because the charred inside of the barrel acts a charcoal filter.

I found this on BBC's website

A note on whisky aging; Scotch whisky, like all spirits, will only mature while in a wooden barrel; once in a bottle it is 'dead,' with the possible exceptions of bottles with bad seals which will eventually 'go off'. So, if you have a bottle of 1946 whisky which was bottled in 1956 it is still only ten years old; there is no point in keeping bottles of whisky in a cellar hoping that they will improve with age.

We were taught that only bad things happen to Scotch after its bottled including the drinking


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

It may be true that distilled spirits do not age in the bottle, I do feel that the beverage in the bottle will develop (good or bad) with age. I know that with Tawny port, and unopened bottle that has sit in the cellar will taste a little different than a recent bottling.

I have had one bottle of pre-Castro Bacardi (when it was made in Cuba) and it did have a little something to it, but it could've been because the formulation was different, my mind was playing tricks on me, or it indeed was different. There will be some oxidation to the contents in any distilled bottles, as they not sealed like Vintage Port.


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## Che (Dec 4, 2003)

olnumber7 said:


> I run a wine/whisky shop in DC. I have the lagavulin dist at a less expensive price than the one you list and am expecting the Lagavulin 21 as well as the new Banff and Port Ellen in sometime in the next week or so. Please PM me or emial me if you're interested.


Lagavulin 21, Banff and Port Ellen, these are Indie bottles, I presume? Who's the bottler(s)?


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## adsantos13 (Oct 10, 2006)

Che...

I know that the Lagavulin 21 and a Port Ellen 28 are official bottlings from the Diageo "Rare Editions" series.

I'm not sure of the Banff, but I'd guess its an indie.


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## Che (Dec 4, 2003)

adsantos13 said:


> Che...
> 
> I know that the Lagavulin 21 and a Port Ellen 28 are official bottlings from the Diageo "Rare Editions" series.
> 
> I'm not sure of the Banff, but I'd guess its an indie.


Rare Editions series. Question, is Talisker's 30 year old in this "series"?


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## adsantos13 (Oct 10, 2006)

Chè said:


> Rare Editions series. Question, is Talisker's 30 year old in this "series"?


Yes, according to John Hansell's blog, the Rare Editions are as follows



> Rare Editions:
> Talisker 30 YO- $349.99
> Lagavulin 21 YO- $299.99
> Brora 30 YO- $399.99
> Port Ellen 28YO- $299.99


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## Che (Dec 4, 2003)

Interesting. About a year ago (almost to date, first week of Nov. to be exact), I was able to taste a 30 year old distillery presentation of Talisker. However, the Ambassador also had a bottle of Lagavulin which if I remember correctly was also 30 years old. The Lagavulin I didn't get to taste, it wasn't opened (at least not while I was present).

Again, I'm going strictly by memory, but I believe the box the Talisker was encased in stated Rare Edition or similar wording. What I did notice at least about the Talisker bottle is that other than the coffin it was resting in screaming prestigious second if not thrid mortgage, for the most part the get up was Talisker all the way. By that I mean it apppeared to simply be another iteration of the Talisker line. 

Diageo's other series "Rare Malts", the bottles are distinguishably from the series and then it becomes a question of which distillery the whisky is from with that series. 

I didn't see the Lagavulin bottle outside the case. But that certainly differs from the 21 mentioned here and Malt Advocate's blog. I'd say either they re-drew things or those were not bottles representing this actual collection we are discussing. Still, given the bottle I did see, I have absolutely no trouble believing there must be ample Lagavulin around to support a 21 year old.
o


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## punch (Mar 5, 2005)

I have the Lagavulin Distillers edition. I cannot wait to see a 21 year old! That will also be in my collection.


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## Che (Dec 4, 2003)

adsantos13 said:


> Yes, according to John Hansell's blog, the Rare Editions are as follows





> Rare Editions:
> Talisker 30 YO- $349.99
> Lagavulin 21 YO- $299.99
> Brora 30 YO- $399.99
> Port Ellen 28YO- $299.99


adsantos, these are in.

I was also able to verify that I wasn't hallucinating - there was a bottle of 30 year old Lagavulin (OB) circulating around this time last year. There were only 12 bottles in state though, and the Master had 2 of them... so that left 10 to talk about.

Like last year's presentation, both the Talikser 30 and this year's Lagavulin 21 appear to have their standard distillery labeling and dressware - I'm not heavily experienced but from memory and limited experience, the Port Ellen bottle appears to be the old distillery label as well. In other words, I didn't really see anything outwardly noticeable to distinguish these as a collection named "Rare Editions" aside from us hearing that they've been designated as such.


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## adsantos13 (Oct 10, 2006)

Thanks for the update, Chè. Will have to start looking around.


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## Che (Dec 4, 2003)

adsantos13 said:


> Thanks for the update, Chè. Will have to start looking around.


@$300+ per bottle, I'll "have to start looking around" 
...for you!


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## adsantos13 (Oct 10, 2006)

Chè;1242459 said:


> @$300+ per bottle, I'll "have to start looking around"
> ...for you!


Well, I think a friend and I might go halves on this one. Otherwise, I probably cant afford it at this time...


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## sptcigars (Oct 23, 2007)

We were taught that only bad things happen to Scotch after its bottled including the drinking [/quote]

So are you saying that if I buy a bottle of 12+ yr old scotch and dont open it for like a year, it will be declined in some way, shape or form. I hope that's not what you're saying. maybe 70+dollars is pocket change to some for a bottle of spirit but if I spend 70 or more dollars on bottle of scotch, you can bet you ass its not getting opened right away. Not only that but when I do open it, its not going to be my weekend spirit. More like holidays or special occasions.


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## CSmith (Sep 29, 2007)

Does anyone know if/when this will show up in Ohio stores, or if it is already available in SE Michigan? The few shops near me haven't even heard of the stuff yet.


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## SUOrangeGuy (Feb 22, 2006)

sptcigars said:


> So are you saying that if I buy a bottle of 12+ yr old scotch and dont open it for like a year, it will be declined in some way, shape or form. I hope that's not what you're saying. maybe 70+dollars is pocket change to some for a bottle of spirit but if I spend 70 or more dollars on bottle of scotch, you can bet you ass its not getting opened right away. Not only that but when I do open it, its not going to be my weekend spirit. More like holidays or special occasions.


What I meant was that the Scotch doesn't improve in the bottle. If you keep the bottle out of bright light and the seal tight its good indefinitely.


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